"Mr. Pélicot: regarding all the accusations against you, you are found guilty of aggravated rape against Gisèle Pélicot." This is how the president of the Avignon Court began reading one of the most anticipated sentences in France in decades. This Thursday, Dominique Pélicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging his wife, Gisèle Pélicot, for 10 years (between 2010 and 2020) so that at least 50 men could rape her while she was unconscious. The court is reading the sentences one by one.
The hearing began after nine-thirty. In the courtroom, Gisèle Pélicot listens to the verdict accompanied by their three children: Caroline, Florian, and David. Three additional rooms have been set up, in addition to the main one, to accommodate the nearly 400 accredited journalists for today.
Gisèle Pélicot, upon her arrival at the court.Lewis JolyAP
In the room designated for the relatives of the accused to follow the sentence, there are about twenty people, mostly women (mothers, sisters, partners, daughters...), some in tears. Inside, medical services are prepared to assist them when the verdict is announced. The accused who are out on bail have entered under tight security measures, with over 150 journalists present in the Court.
Five judges (two men and three women) have been deliberating since last Monday on the sentences for these 50 men, in addition to Pélicot. The street in front of the court was closed early in the morning to prevent possible disturbances outside. An unprecedented security operation has been deployed, with 100 police officers, to prevent incidents.